Verbena plant named ‘AKIV344-01’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Verbena  plant named ‘AKIV344-01’, characterized by its upright and outwardly spreading plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; freely flowering habit; large pink-colored flowers that are held above and beyond the foliage; and resistance to Powdery Mildew.

Botanical designation: Verbena hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘AKIV344-01’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Verbenaplant, botanically known as Verbena hybrida, and hereinafter referred toby the name ‘AKIV344-01’.

The new Verbena plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Shiga, Japan and Bonsall, Calif. Theobjective of the breeding program is to create new freely floweringVerbena cultivars with large flowers and resistance to Powdery Mildew.

The new Verbena plant originated from a cross-pollination made by theInventor on Jul. 14, 2006 in Shiga, Japan of a proprietary selection ofVerbena hybrida identified as code number VJ05-16-01, not patented, asthe female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Verbenahybrida identified as code number 06V53-02, not patented, as the male,or pollen, parent. The new Verbena plant was discovered and selected bythe Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of thestated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Bonsall, Calif.on Jun. 14, 2007.

Asexual reproduction of the new Verbena plant by terminal cuttings in acontrolled environment in Bonsall, Calif. since Jun. 18, 2007 has shownthat the unique features of this new Verbena plant are stable andreproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Verbena have not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment and cultural practices such as temperature andlight intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘AKIV344-01’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘AKIV344-01’ as a new and distinct cultivar ofVerbena:

-   -   1. Upright and outwardly spreading plant habit.    -   2. Vigorous growth habit.    -   3. Freely branching habit.    -   4. Freely flowering habit.    -   5. Large pink-colored flowers that are held above and beyond the        foliage.    -   6. Resistant to Powdery Mildew.

Plants of the new Verbena can be compared to plants of the female parentselection. Plants of the new Verbena differ primarily from plants of thefemale parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Verbena are more trailing than plants of        the female parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Verbena have larger flowers than plants of        the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Verbena can be compared to plants of the male parentselection. Plants of the new Verbena differ primarily from plants of themale parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Verbena are more upright than plants of the        male parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Verbena are more freely flowering than        plants of the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Verbena can be compared to plants of the Verbenahybrida ‘Balazwhitim’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 18,793. Inside-by-side comparisons conducted in Bonsall, Calif., plants of the newVerbena differed primarily from plants of ‘Balazwhitim’ in the followingcharacteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Verbena were not as compact as plants of        ‘Balazwhitim’.    -   2. Plants of the new Verbena had larger flowers than plants of        ‘Balazwhitim’.    -   3. Plants of the new Verbena and ‘Balazwhitim’ differed in        flower color.

Plants of the new Verbena can also be compared to plants of the Verbenahybrida ‘UNBENAL8’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 14,853. Inside-by-side comparisons conducted in Bonsall, Calif., plants of the newVerbena differed primarily from plants of ‘UNBENAL8’ in the followingcharacteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Verbena were more freely flowering than        plants of ‘UNBENAL8’.    -   2. Plants of the new Verbena and ‘UNBENAL8’ differed in flower        color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Verbena plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the actualcolors of the new Verbena plant.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a side perspectiveview of a typical flowering plant of ‘AKIV344-01’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the top of the sheet is a close-up view of typicalflowers of ‘AKIV344-01’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants used for the aforementioned photographs and following descriptionwere grown under conditions which closely approximate commercialproduction conditions during the autumn in 12.5-cm containers in anoutdoor nursery in Bonsall, Calif. During the production of the plants,day temperatures ranged from 18° C. to 38° C., night temperatures rangedfrom 9° C. to 18° C. and light levels ranged from 7,000 to 10,000foot-candles. Plants were pinched one time and were seven weeks old whenthe photographs and description were taken. In the followingdescription, color references are made to The Royal HorticulturalSociety Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms ofordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Verbena hybrida ‘AKIV344-01’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Verbena            hybrida identified as code number VJ05-16-01.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Verbena            hybrida identified as code number 06V53-02.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type cutting.—Vegetative tip cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About three days at            temperatures ranging from 17° C. to 29° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About four days at            temperatures ranging from 17° C. to 21° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted plant, summer.—About 15 days at            temperatures ranging from 17° C. to 29° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted plant, winter.—About 20 days at            temperatures ranging from 17° C. to 21° C.        -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; off-white in            color.        -   Rooting habit.—Moderately freely branching; medium in            density.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant habit.—Upright and outwardly spreading plant habit;            freely branching habit with about nine to eleven primary            lateral branches developing per plant each with numerous            secondary branches; pinching enhances lateral branch            development; dense and bushy plant habit; vigorous growth            habit.        -   Plant height.—About 15.5 cm.        -   Plant diameter (spread): About 48 cm.-   Lateral branch description:    -   -   Length.—About 30 cm.        -   Diameter.—About 4 mm.        -   Internode length.—About 3.7 cm.        -   Strength.—Strong.        -   Texture.—Pubescent.        -   Color.—Close to 144A.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple.        -   Length.—About 5.8 cm.        -   Width.—About 3.5 cm.        -   Shape.—Oblong to elliptical.        -   Apex.—Broadly acute.        -   Base.—Attenuate.        -   Margin.—Irregularly crenate.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent; coarse, rough.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate; reticulate.        -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 137B.            Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 147B. Fully            expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 147A; venation,            close to 146A. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close            to 147B; venation, close to 146C.        -   Petiole.—Length: About 7 mm. Diameter: About 3 mm. Texture,            upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper and lower            surfaces: Close to 146C.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower arrangement and habit.—Salverform sessile flowers            arranged in compact hemispherical terminal racemes; flowers            face upward or outward; freely flowering habit with about 38            flowers per inflorescence.        -   Natural flowering season.—Plants flower continuously from            spring through the autumn in Southern California; plants            begin flowering about seven weeks after planting.        -   Flower longevity.—Flowers last about five to seven days on            the plant; flowers not persistent.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Inflorescence height.—About 5 cm.        -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 5.5 cm.        -   Flower diameter.—About 2 cm.        -   Flower depth (height).—About 2.7 cm.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 2 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm.            Shape: Elongates oblong. Color: Close to 69C.        -   Corolla.—Arrangement: Single whorl of five fused petals            fused towards the base into a narrow tube. Petal lobe            length: About 9 mm. Petal lobe width: About 7 mm. Petal lobe            shape: Roughly cordate. Petal lobe apex: Emarginate to            cordate. Petal margin: Entire. Petal texture, upper and            lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; velvety. Color: Petal,            when opening, upper surface: Close to 69B. Petal, when            opening, lower surface: Close to 69C. Petal, fully opened,            upper surface: Close to 73B; towards the throat, close to            75A; color becoming closer to 69D with development. Petal,            fully opened, lower surface: Close to 69B; color becoming            closer to 69D with development. Tube: Close to 145D.        -   Calyx.—Arrangement: Single whorl of five fused sepals fused            towards the base into a narrow tube. Sepal length: About            1.3 cm. Sepal width: About 1 mm. Sepal shape: Narrowly            lanceolate. Sepal apex: Acute. Sepal margin: Entire. Sepal            texture, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous. Sepal texture,            lower surface: Pubescent. Sepal color, upper and lower            surfaces: Close to 146B.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 6 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.            Strength: Strong. Texture: Pubescent. Color: Close to 146B.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity/arrangement: Four per            flower, filaments are adnate to corolla tube. Filament            length: About 1.5 mm. Filament color: Close to 145D. Anther            shape: Oval, bi-lobed. Anther length: About 1 mm. Anther            color: Close to N144D. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen color:            Close to 145B. Pistils: Quantity: One per flower. Pistil            length: About 1.7 cm. Stigma shape: Rounded, slightly            bi-parted. Stigma color: Close to 146B. Style length: About            1.4 cm. Style color: Close to 145C. Ovary color: Close to            144B. Fruits/seed: Fruit and seed development have not been            observed.-   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Verbena have been observed    to tolerate temperatures from about 1° C. to about 40° C.-   Pathogen/pest resistance: Plants of the new Verbena have been    observed to be tolerant to Powdery Mildew. Plants of the new Verbena    have not been observed to be resistant to pests and other pathogens    common to Verbenas.

1. A new and distinct Verbena plant named ‘AKIV344-01’ as illustratedand described.